Miller, Frank
Entry updated 23 December 2023. Tagged: Artist, Author, Comics.
(1957- ) US Comic-book writer and artist, with a distinctive fragmented narrative technique; also film scriptwriter and director. During 1979-1985 Miller worked on Marvel Comics's Daredevil, producing work that was later re-released in three collections: Child's Play (graph coll 1988), Marked for Death (graph coll 1990) and Gang War (graph coll 1992). He then produced two apocalyptic dramas for DC Comics: Ronin (1983-1984; graph 1987) and Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (books #1-#4 1986; graph 1986) (see Batman; Batman: The Dark Knight Returns; Nuclear Winter). All of this work brought a new integrity to the gritty, toughly narrated drama in comics, and paved the way among prospective publishers for other hopeful writer/artists. Further work from this period included Elektra Saga (1984; graph coll 1989) and, written by Chris Claremont, Wolverine (1982; graph coll 1987).
Following the phenomenal success of The Dark Knight Returns – nominated for a 1987 Hugo in, absurdly, the Best Nonfiction Book category, coming second – Miller has collaborated with other comics artists including: David Mazzuchelli on Daredevil: Born Again (1985; graph coll 1987) and Batman: Year One (1987; graph 1988); Bill Sienkiewicz on Elektra: Assassin (1986-1987; graph coll 1987) and Daredevil: Love and War (graph 1986); Dave Gibbons on Give Me Liberty (1990-1991; graph 1991; exp vt The Life and Times of Martha Washington in the 21st Century graph coll 2010); and Geoff Darrow on Hard Boiled (1990-1992; graph 1993) and Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot (1995).
Miller's other work during this period includes Elektra Lives Again (graph 1990) and the gritty crime drama, Sin City (1991-2000), first serialized in Dark Horse Presents, then released as a mini-series and original graphic novels. Miller also collaborated with Walter Simonson on a series tied to the RoboCop and Terminator films (see The Terminator; Terminator 2: Judgment Day). Miller has also collaborated on the screenplays for RoboCop 2 (1990) and RoboCop 3 (1993), the former being based on his original story.
He returned to Batman in 2001 with Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again (2001-2002; graph 2002) and All-Star Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder, an irregularly published ongoing series begun in 2005 and currently continuing.
Sin City was adapted to film in 2005 in collaboration with Robert Rodriguez; Miller co-scripted and co-directed. In 2008, he wrote and directed an unwatchable film adaptation of Will Eisner's The Spirit. [SW/JP]
see also: Graphic Novel; Illustration; Superheroes; Superman; Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame.
Frank Miller
born Olney, Maryland: 27 January 1957
works
series
Batman
- Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (New York: DC Comics, 1986) [graph: tie to the DC Comics universe: first published in four instalments: Batman: pb/Frank Miller]
- Batman: Year One (New York: DC Comics, 1988) [graph: tie to the DC Comics universe: Batman: pb/David Mazzucchelli]
- Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again (New York: DC Comics, 2002) [graph: tie to the DC Comics universe: Batman: hb/Frank Miller]
individual titles
- Ronin (New York: DC Comics, 1987) [graph: pb/Frank Miller]
- Give Me Liberty (Milwaukie, Oregon: Dark Horse Comics, 1990) [graph: pb/Dave Gibbons]
- The Life and Times of Martha Washington in the 21st Century (Milwaukie, Oregon: Dark Horse Comics, 2010) [coll: graph: exp vt of the above: pb/Dave Gibbons]
- Hard Boiled (Milwaukie, Oregon: Dark Horse Comics, 1993) [graph: pb/Geoff Darrow]
- The Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot (Milwaukie, Oregon: Dark Horse Comics, 1996) [coll: graph: pb/Geoff Darrow]
links
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